This year was a big one in political news — and that is reflected in our 2014 News Photos of the Year. More than half of our best photos of the year are a result of Roll Call's dedication to sending journalists on the road to see congressional campaigns on the ground.

A photographer from one of our competitors approached me a few months ago for advice on how to get his publication to send him on the road. I told him the trick is having editors who already understand how photography adds a valuable dimension to political reporting.

I like to think of the midterm elections as Roll Call's Super Bowl. In 2014, Roll Call photographers shot images in 20 states and the District of Columbia, covering House and Senate races in a way only Roll Call can.